Dozens of police officers have descended on St. James Park to hand out eviction notices to protesters, giving them until 12:01 a.m. to pack up and vacate the park.
Hatlem, who also maintains the OccupyBaySt Twitter account, said the city's eviction plans will not stop the occupation.
"We'll reoccupy the park or occupy another park."
Protesters have already disassembled their media tent, which included laptop computers and Internet connection, but most tents remain standing at the moment.
Social worker and Mennonite street pastor Doug Hatlem, who attends the Occupy protest a few times a week but is not living in the park, said plans were already in place for an 11 p.m. rally at the park in anticipation of the midnight eviction.
He said hundreds of people will defend the occupation.
"They'll have to jail more than they did at the G20," Hatlem said. "And they don't have the Eastern Ave. jail ... They can take away our tents, but they, but they can't stop the movement. We're too big to jail."
In the letter distributed to Occupy protesters, and posted on the citys website, city manager Joe Pennachetti says the time has come to remove your tents, structures, equipment and personal belongings from the park.
The City recognizes the rights of Canadians to gather and protest. However, the City has determined that it cannot allow the current use of St. James Park to continue, the letter states.
In particular, the City can no longer permit the appropriation of St. James Park by a relatively small group of people to the exclusion of all others wishing to use the park and to the detriment of those in the vicinity of the park. In addition, the current use of the park by Occupy Toronto and others occupying St. James Park is causing damage to the park and interfering with necessary winter maintenance of the park.
He also tells them many activities happening in the park since the protest started a month ago break city by-laws, policies and practices on use of public space.
Protesters are being serviced with a notice under the Trespass to Property Act ordering them to remove all tents, structures, equipment, and other debris from the park and immediately discontinue use of the park between the hours of 12:01 a.m. and 5:30 a.m.
Please be advised that if all tents and other structures, equipment and debris are not removed immediately, the City will take the necessary steps to itself remove the tents and other structures, it states. In so doing, the City relies on its rights under the Trespass to Property Act and the City of Toronto Act, 2006. The City is willing to offer its assistance to ensure the safe and orderly removal of tents and other structures if requested.
The City respectfully asks Occupy Toronto and others occupying St. James Park for their co-operation in this matter.
Brendan Kennedy, Toronto Star, with files from David Rider
